


after the battle

by softginge



Category: RWBY
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-20
Updated: 2018-11-20
Packaged: 2019-08-26 14:51:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,371
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16683670
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/softginge/pseuds/softginge
Summary: He couldn’t be more thankful that it was her by his side after all this time.





	after the battle

The wind blows by, hair strands whipping as the airship hovers over where the beast lay slain. It’s already beginning to turn to dust, already beginning to disintegrate as if it hadn’t been killed mere moments earlier. Soft pink hues remain focused even after the body of the nuckelavee disappeared. So many years spent in fear, in anguish, coming to a close with the simple death of things monster. A tug at heart, chest tightening, fingers curling into fists: it all happens the moment he realizes that it’s actually over, that the nightmare of his life has finally been ended once and for all.

It’s almost too much for him to handle at once.

There’s a soft call of his name, eyes shifting to gaze towards voices direction. It’s only a moment before they settle on his friends. Ruby is offering a smile and he can’t help but offer one back as he puts his weapons on his hips and moves over. Nothing is said as the four climb into the airship, watching as some of the members carry Qrow in and settle him in the center of the ship.

Ren moves over, settling at the edge, legs dangling over just as the ship lifts into the air once more. Mind is still absent from present. Drifting in and out of the last few hours, of the things that had occurred. What would have happened had he’d not shown up in the village with Nora when they had? Any later and maybe ―

No. He couldn’t think like that. Eyes drift down towards lap to see fingers shaking slightly. They curl inwards, nails digging into palms as lip is tucked between teeth. Lashes flutter shut, brushing upper cheeks briefly before opening again. Gaze drifts towards the ground, towards his childhood home as they continue lifting away. It stays focused on the area even long after all he can see is cloud. He’s unsure how long he sits that way, pink hues fogged, aching, unblinking. It only comes to a stop when he feels a hand on his shoulder.

He looks upwards, his eyes meeting those of Nora’s. Nothing is said as she merely offers a smile and then holds onto the side of the ship to take a seat beside him. The quiet settles over them as he returns his eyes to the sky once more, tracing over clouds as they move past them.

“Are you okay?”

Her voice is soft, so soft that had she not been right near him he would have missed her words. As it was, he’s unsure how to answer and merely chews on his lip where it lay still settled between his teeth. Fists tighten, nails biting into skin further as thoughts spiral. Was he okay? How could he even measure something like that at this moment? It’s not easy to face your nightmares. Just because he’d managed to defeat his didn’t mean that it didn’t unsettle him still, that his mind wasn’t still settled in the never-ending fear that the beast still walked the planet.

It’s a moment before he feels his fingers unfurling, each one being gently moved until they were all straight, hand flat with palm facing upwards. Eyes drift from where they watch this happen to Nora’s face. She’s focused on his hand and he feels the faintest of touches as her finger traces the lines in his palm. It’s calming, more calming than his semblance could ever make him.

“I...don’t know.”

Honesty. Only ever honest with the girl that had been with him for so long, that had been by his side through the worst parts of his life. They’d been through so much with one another it didn’t surprise him that she knew the mere presence of her would help clear his mind. Swallowing at the lump in his throat, he drops his gaze from her face back to their hands. Her index finger is still lightly tracing over the lines of his palm. The smallest of smiles begins to curl at the edges of his lips at her ministrations.

“I’m relieved.” The words are almost breathed out. Barely registering to his ears over the wind that whips by them. “We managed to get out alive.”

_ Again. _ The word is unspoken but implied. It’s not hard to know what’s going through her mind. Unlike himself, Nora often wore her emotions like a mask. You always knew what she was thinking, how she was feeling. Ren always bottled things up. Ever since he’d discovered his semblance he’d managed to keep his emotions, his thoughts, to himself. She was the only one that’d managed to understand what ran through his mind. Perhaps it was due to being with one another for so long, or maybe she was just perceptive. Whatever it was, he was glad for her.

“We did.” A small pause. Sigh pushed through nose before fingers shift, his larger hand wrapping around her smaller one. “...I’m glad we made it in time.”

A nod is offered from his companion, her fingers shifting to push through his before a squeeze is given. It’s light but it’s enough. Smile widens, softens. Squeeze is returned before gaze returns to sky. It’s quiet again for a few moments. The same comfortable silence the two had always found themselves in when alone.

“Perhaps the people of the city can rest now, knowing it’s gone.”

He offers a nod, unsure what he could possibly say to that. He hoped that they would. That their spirits would rest, that they would move on from this world and onto the next knowing they were avenged. It makes him think of his parents. A lump rises in his throat and he swallows, attempting to force it down.

“...I hope they are at peace.”

No specification is given. Ren is sure she knows who he means with this statement. His mind starts to drift, memories surfacing and bringing him away to the past, until he feels a weight on his shoulder. Surprise color features as head tilts, eyes finding the bright orange of her hair in his line of sight. A dusting of pink appears on his cheeks at the motion as she accompanies it with a squeeze to his hand.

“I know they are. And I’m sure they are proud of you. Just like I am.”

The words hit him, push the air from his lungs. He’d not expected her to know what he’d been thinking that clearly. Yet he’s unsurprised. Swallowing at the lump again, he squeezes her hand in return before gingerly resting his head against hers. The silence settles again, this time no interruption coming from thoughts or from her. They remain that way until they make it to Haven. The two of them settled on the edge of the ship as they watch the clouds and birds fly by. When they dock, he’s the first to his feet, tugging her along with him before helping her out of the ship as well. Their hands stay entwined as they stand, listening to all that is going on before they are directed to the nearest rooming available to wait until Qrow was taken care of. As they head off, he takes a moment to pause, holding Nora in place momentarily until she turns to raise an eyebrow at him.

“...thank you.”

They were overdue. Should have said them at the end of the battle, should have said them while they were in the airship. Without her, he’d have lost everything again. And yet, she merely offers a smile, one of the brighter ones where her eyes crinkle at the corners as her eyes slip shut.

“It was nothing. You’ve done the same for me.”

His lips curl into that small smile, the private one he reserves only for her, before she’s pulling him along, talking about how he could make pancakes when he began to feel a little better. The mere thought of it caused him to shake his head but the smile never left, knowing this was her way of trying to move forward after everything that had happened.

He couldn’t be more thankful that it was her by his side after all this time.


End file.
